Mommy Dearest
by Chocolate Dragon
Summary: Someone has stole the form of Hotaru's mother in an attempt to kill her.
1. Memories

**Mommy Dearest**   
(My first fic so be nice!)   
Discalmer: As much as I want it to, Sailor Moon does not belong to me. 

_Hotaru sat in the closet of her room, hiding in the shadows that strangely always gave her comfort. She stopped breathing for a second, and waited. Perhaps…No. Never mind. A short distance away, the clicking of heels was heard. 'No…please…' Hotaru begged to her herself. She drew closer to the wall, flattening herself to make her less noticeable. The door to her room was being banged on. She was trying to get in. Once again, Hotaru stopped breathing. She hugged something close to her. A doll. The door was banged on again. "HOTARU!! OPEN THIS DOOR!!" a scary but familiar voice said. Hotaru shut her eyes and tried to pretend it was all a dream. She would wake up soon in the arms of her mother and father. Everything would be all right. Thinking of this gave her strength. She tried to think about it again, as if wishing for it hard enough would make it true. It didn't. The door was broken open and Kaori stepped in. She searched furiously around the room. "HOTARU?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" She screamed insanely as she threw one of Hotaru's lamps across the room. Hotaru flinched. Kaori knew how much she adored lamps. But all the lamps in the world couldn't amount to the doll she held in her hand. Kaori drew nearer and nearer to Hotaru's hiding spot in the closet. She held her breath and closed her eyes. 'A dream, please say that's all it is…a dream'. The door to the closet was thrust open. Kaori smiled as she dragged Hotaru out of the closet by her hair, pretending she didn't hear Hotaru scream. When she was fully out of the closet, Kaori thrust her aside. "The doll," she said in a low but threatening voice. "No! This was the last gift my mom gave me. Don't dare lay ANY of your dirty fingers on it!" Hotaru said as she scrambled to get away, but Kaori grabbed one of her legs. "Get off me you stupid bitch!" Hotaru yelled and hit Kaori in the face. As much as Kaori was surprised, it was nothing compared to Hotaru's amazement. She had never hit anyone, or curse at them. Not ever. She didn't have the strength or the heart to do it._ _Not wasting any time, Hotaru walked quickly down the stairs. Her father would be cooped up in the lab, what could she do? She was wasting energy already. She could feel her breathing get heavy and her heart slow. Weakly she fell to the ground, trying to get her breath. But she had to get out, if just for a day. Kaori was already hot on her tail. She would come any minute now. Hotaru panicked. She was almost within arms reach. Hotaru took a gasp of breath, about to try and run for it, even though the risk was dangerous. Suddenly, Kaori stopped. Her eyes went wide as a strange aura surrounded her. It was a ghostly color. Kaori's scream rang out…_

Hotaru awoke with a snap and shook her head. She almost screamed, but remembered where she was. Safe in bed. She checked her clock. 5 am. Rubbing her head, Hotaru sat up. Yes, she remembered that day. After the hold had been released on her Kaori burned the doll right in front of her. But who did that spell? It wasn't her. She would have remembered blacking out and waking up somewhere else, with her father or Usagi or Rini standing over her. That didn't happen. Some outside force protected her. She tried to remember the whole of her dream, but it was exhausting so Hotaru tried to fall back asleep. She snuggled closer to the covers and grabbed a new doll her father gave her. It looked like the one that was burned in the dream, the one her mom gave her. But it was just a replacement. Still, she loved it. It was the first thing from her father that she got after he had been cured from the blast at the school.

A figure, cloaked in pure white with the only trace of black being her hair, floated down to Hotaru's window. Seeing Hotaru, she smiled and got closer to the glass, but just when she was about to touch it, she disappeared. The sun was coming up.   
  
  



	2. Daydream

**Mommy Dearest**

****

_Author's Note: I'd like to say how happy I am with the reveiws! I'll try and keep up that suspensfulness (is there such a word? 0o;;) in the story. Keep reveiwing please! Now, on with the story!!!_   
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
**Chapter 2: Daydream**   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
Hotaru ran off to school, now happy that she had some friends to talk to. However, she didn't know if she wanted to mention the dream. No, those days of hiding in horror of Kaori where over. Those memories were gone, and she wanted them to stay that way. She slowed her pace as she heard a voice behind her, "Wait up Hotaru!" it was Rini. Her first friend back when no one cared. Turning around, Hotaru smiled. "Hi Rini!" she said, trying to shake of the dream and return to the present. "Say, me and my friends are going to go see a movie," Rini said, bustling with joy as she often did. "Do you want to come?" Hotaru frowned. "I don't know," she said. "Well, you can pick the movie if you want." Rini said. Hotaru shook her head. "It's not that. It's that Papa's been kind of over-protective ever since he regained his memory about the explosion and stuff at the school. Or at least most of it." At the final words, Rini gasped. "Does this mean he knows you're a Sailor Senshi?" Hotaru hushed Rini immediately and looked around to see if anyone heard her. "Not really," Hotaru said in a hushed voice. "Not all of it. He does know, however, that I'm important and powerful. But he doesn't know about me being Sailor Saturn." Rini nodded understandingly. "Yeah, and it's great now that people have accepted your healing ability. " Hotaru smiled. "Yeah, and—" She was cut off by the bell. "Oh no! We'll be late!" Both girls said as they ran off to class.   
Hotaru tried hard to pay attention all day at school. However, during one lesson she accidentally fell asleep. Another strange dream appeared. It was the one of her mother and her trapped in the fire. She could feel the flames in her dream, burning against her skin. She heard her mother fall to the floor, not breathing. Hotaru woke up screaming and immediately got detention for it. She had to write a 500-word essay on class conduct. Rini waited for Hotaru after detention. This made her feel better; the fact that someone cared so much for her. However, the walk home was silent for the most part. When they reached Hotaru's block, Rini asked cautiously, "I heard what happened, but why? Why did you just scream like that?" Hotaru sighed. She knew no matter what Rini would end up finding out. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She would like someone to talk to. "Well," Hotaru started slowly; "I've been having strange dreams. I had a dream in class about my mother and I trapped in the fire. The one that destroyed the lab a long time ago." Rini gasped. "Why? Do think someone is sending you these dreams?" Hotaru looked down. "I don't know. But until I know something, please don't tell the other senshi. Not yet." Rini nodded and smiled. "You can count on me."

_Later, at Usagi's house..._   
"WHAT? HOTARU'S SCREAMING ABOUT HER MOM IN CLASS?!" Usagi screamed out. Rini quickly told her to calm down and shut up. A typical mother/daughter argument started, but stopped when they realized they were way off topic. "So…why the heck did you tell me about this if it was a secret?" Usagi chided Rini. "You promised that you'd keep it a secret. How would Hotaru feel if she found out you—" Rini cut Usagi off there. "She won't. Because you won't tell her. " Rini said. "I told you…in case there's more to this than meets the eye. At least we should be on guard. What if someone's messing with Hotaru's past? Trying to scare her?" Usagi nodded. "Well, you're right. We should at least try to look into this."

Hotaru was having an overall great afternoon, despite the fact that her father was upset at her getting detention. He, however, was forgiving. He invited her down to the lab to work on her science homework. To Hotaru's delight, she watched as she and her father made exploding chemicals. She was allowed to go to the movies, and they ordered out her favorite noodles. Hotaru went to bed feeling fulfilled, and not just because she had eaten enough noodles for 6 people. She turned off her lamp, still leaving a few on though, and went to sleep.

_"Hotaru?"_   
"…Who?"   
_"You know me."_   
"I do?"   
_"I gave you life."_   
"Mama?!"   
_"I gave you life. Now it is your turn to give to me."_   
"I don't understand."   
_"You are the key to my rebirth, Hotaru."_   
"But, mama…are you really her? How do I know?"   
_"You will. Come to my final resting-place. You'll see."_   
"Mama? Mama?! Are you there?!"   
…Silence.   
"MAMA!!! ANSWER ME!!"   
…nothing.   
"Mama…"

Hotaru woke up with fright. Did she just have a conversation with her mother…in her sleep? She got up out of bed, sweating. She put on one of her black skirts, shirt, and stockings, and shoes (_AN: Like the old Hotaru who was sick all the time! I love those clothes...black rules!...oh wait, never mind, read the story!)_. She was going to find answers.

Rei popped up out of her sleep. There was a strange aura near. But…faint. Not like any human. Rei walked outside and closed her eyes, sensing everything around her. The trees, the sky, she connected with them. But they weren't stable, more like disturbed about something. She got on her robes and went to consult the fire. Counting rapidly to match her hand movments, she concentrated. "Oh flame, what's going on? Who's causing the disturbance?" The fire roared and shot up, reavealing the face of Mistress 9 standing over Hotaru, who was laying on the ground, her eyes deviod of all emotion as if she was dead. Rei gasped and grabbed her henshin (Transformation) wand. "MARS STAR POWER MAKE UP!!" And in a flash she was Salior Mars. She grabbed the tiny wristwatch that Luna gave her, which wasn't actually a wrist watch at all. It served as a communication between the Sailor Senshi and beebed whenever someone tried to contact you. Rei contacted Usagi first, and it took about 5 mintues for the odango head to wake up. "We'll meet you there!" Rini had said through it while Usagi was just getting up. Rei already had a sense of where the demon was, and rushed off to save Hotaru.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
_After note: I'm sorry the other senshi haven't made their apperance yet! That'll change soon, in the final battle, so please, be paitent!_   
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	3. Mommy Dearest

**Mommy Dearest**

_Author's Note: This is the final chapter, Hopefully this story will get you to want to read more of my stories. R&R! ~_^_

Hotaru walked, almost as if she was dead, to her mother's grave. Unable to keep up her strength, she fell to her knees in front of the tomb. "I'm…here…mother…" Hotaru said as she struggled to breathe. She clutched at her heart. "Please…where are…you…" A ghostly figure appeared on top of the grave. "Hotaru, dear," it said while smiling evilly, however, Hotaru was too weak to notice this. "Do you still have it?" "…What?" Hotaru asked. The spirit looked slightly irritated, but quickly recovered. "Why, the amulet, dear. The family heirloom." Hotaru nodded and shakily handed it to what she thought was her mother. She never got rid of it, even though she knew what power it had. She hadn't even really touched it or even looked at it until now, though. The spirit suddenly changed its fake caring expression and its face was twisted with anger, hatred. "Oh, Hotaru dear." She said, still sweetly, "There is one more thing." Hotaru looked up. "What?" The spirit laughed. "I'm not your mother! Foolish girl! But as thanks to lending me your body as a host and giving me this, I will make your death quick." The spirit grabbed Hotaru, choking her. Hotaru felt the energy drain out of her, and everything getting black…   
"FIRE SOUL BIRD!" Mars' attack hit the demon, but wasn't enough to kill her. Hotaru fell limply to the side. Her breathing was irregular, and she didn't have much time. Mistress 9 threw Mars roughly aside and went back to Hotaru.   
"Submerge Reflection!"   
"Space…Sword…BLASTER!"   
The attacks from Uranus and Neptune temporarily ripped the evil spirit apart, but it formed together.   
"Moon Spiral Heart Attack!"   
"Shine Aqua Illusion!"   
"Love Me Chain!"   
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"   
All the attacks hit it at once, but had the same effect as it did when Uranus and Neptune hit it. "What's going on?" demanded Jupiter. Neptune held up her mirror. "Hmm…we can't kill it. It's already dead." So how do we beat it?" asked Mercury. Neptune didn't have time to answer, when Mistress 9 attacked again. Uranus swore loudly and tried to hold it back, blasting it over and over with World Shaking. The other senshi helped. Over the ruckus, Neptune yelled. "It's no good! This is an evil spirit that's lost, the Goddess of death must bring it back to Hades!" Her eyes fell on young Hotaru, who was getting up. "She has to do it soon!" Venus yelled. "We can't keep this up forever!"   
"Ugh…" Hotaru was just getting back up. She saw Mistress 9 fighting with the other soldiers. They'd never make it, she thought. She had to help. She closed her eyes and concentrated.   
_Saturn._   
_The planet of ruin, occupied by the Goddess of Death._   
That's me, Hotaru thought dully.   
_It is time._   
Yes, it is.   
**_AWAKEN!!_**   
The sign of Saturn burned hotly on Hotaru's head. "SATURN PLANET POWER, MAKE UP!" She shouted. In a burst of energy, she was Sailor Saturn. She jumped in front of the senshi just as Mistress 9 was about to deal a killing blow to them. "Silent Wall!" Black energy surrounded them as the attack bounced harmlessly off of the wall. Saturn turned to her attention back to Mistress 9, her eyes glowing a royal purple. She raised her glaive dangerously high above her head and slammed it on the ground in front of Mistress 9, shouting wildly as she did. Energy shot out from the ground surrounding her. As she screamed in agony, shadows dragged her down below the earth.   
Everyone was silent. Without any warning, Hotaru fell to the ground, sobbing. Nobody was sure if they should comfort her or leave her alone, but Uranus went over to her, kneeling down and hugging her tightly, letting Hotaru sob on her shoulder. Then, very hesitantly, Neptune went over and gently touched her shoulder. "I thought," Hotaru said between sobs, "I thought that she might actually…that she'd be…" she choked on her words and continued to cry. In a soft voice, Neptune said, "She's with you. She's a part of you that won't ever leave and never leave. Remember that day? Hiding from Kaori? It was her who protected you. She's never forgotten about you." Hotaru stopped crying and looked up at Neptune with sad but grateful eyes. She hugged her tightly and then whispered, "Let's all just go home." Neptune nodded. Uranus helped her to her feet and faced the other senshi. "We'll take her home."   
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
That night, Hotaru had another dream, but it wasn't a bad one. She dreamed about when she was two, before the fire. She, her mother and her father were all on a picnic and having fun, going to get ice cream and playing games all day. Just before the dream faded away, the voice of her mother rang out loud and clear inside of her head.   
_Sleep well, my little Firefly._   
  
  



End file.
